Broom-machine.



PATENTED APR.16, 1907. 4

' Y 0. R. LEEL,

BROOM MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED SBPT.5,1906.

Wihwaacz @y W W X nTENT option.

CLINTON R. LEE, or LINCOLN, NEBRASKA.

BROOM-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 16, I907.

Application filed September 5, 1906. Serial No. 383.329-

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLINTON R. LEE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Lincoln, in the county of Lancaster and. State of Nebraska,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Broom-Machines andProcesses for Evening the Brush Ends of BroomCorn, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to a process of evening the brush ends ofbroom-corn to-be used in the manufacture of brooms and an improvedapparatus for carrying this process into effect.

The object of the present invention is to even up by a mechanical meansthe tips or brush ends of broom-corn, so that when the same is bound upinto a broom the tips or brush ends of the brooms would be full andpractically even.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device whereby thisprocess may be carried into effect in an expeditious and practicalmanner.

To this end the invention consists in the process and in the novelconstruction, ar-

rangement, and combination of the several the means for giving saidholders a jouncing movement. Fig. 2 is a perspective View of one of'thebro0m-corn ounc1ng holders and the frame or block by which it iscarried, and- Fig. 3 is a side elevation of one of the j ouncing-camsfor operating one of the jouncingholders.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates the supporting-frameof the device, which may be of any suitable or approved construction; 2,standards projecting above the top of said supporting-frame, and 3 ashaft suitably journaled in said supportingframe near the top thereof.

The numeral 4 indicates a pulley or other suitable means secured to saidshaft for the purpose of transmitting rotation thereto.

Inasmuch as in the operation of this device it is necessary in order toinsure the best results that the shaft 3 shall have a very rapidrotation, I prefer the use thereon of a pulley, as shown, in order thatit may be easily and economically and smoothly operated from a motor orengine.

The numeral 5 indicates a suitable frame or block carrying a suitablebroom-corn holder 6, adapted to be jounced or vertically reciprocated,preferably between the upwardlyextending standards 2 in guides 7 7,secured thereto. It will be apparent that it is not absolutely necessarythat the upwardly-extending ends of the standards 2 be utilized to guidethe jouncing movement of said holders, as other means may be employed orsubstituted for this purpose. On the shaft 3 immediately beneath each ofthe blocks or frames 5 is rigidly secured a cam 8, adapted when saidshaft is rotated to strike the bottom of said block or frame and drivethe same up- Ward. The said block and holder carried thereby will, assoon as the long end of said cam passes out of engagement, fall back toits normal position, thus producing a reciprocatory or jouncing movementof said holder, and which jounces or jolts the tips or brush ends of thebroom-corn carried in said holder to become even by reason of contactwith the solid flat bottom of the containing-holder, as is evident. Thisholder 6 is provided with a solid flat bottom upon which the tips orbrush ends of the broom-corn contained therein rest. When a bunch ofmaterial is placed in one of these holders, tips orbrush ends down, thejouncing of said holder will cause all or nearly all the tips or brushends in said bunch to settle down and rest on said bottom, where saidends are evened up, as desired. When this end is accomplished, the bunchof material is removed from said holder and is then ready to be bound upinto a broom or whisk.

The operation of the device is as follows: After the broomcorn has beenbunched the tips or brush ends thereof are then ready for evening. Thisevening of the tips or brush ends of a bunch of broom-corn has beenheretofore done by hand, and of course a considerable amount. oftime'has been consumed in the operation, and even when thus com pletedwas not always satisfactory for the manufacture of fine Whisks andbrooms. At this stage of the process my device is brought into play, andinstead of doing the evening by hand bunches of broom-corn thus preparedIIO are placedinthe broorri-corn-jouncing holders 6 with the tips orbrush ends down, so that the longest projecting ends of the bunch willrest upon the solid flat bottom of said holder.

The shaft 3 is then rapidly rotated,which by means of the cams thereonwill rapidly j ounce the holders 6 and cause the tips or brush ends ofthe broom-corn contained therein to even up. When this has beenaccomplished, the bunches of broom-corn are then removed from saidholders and are then ready to be bound up into a broom or whisk.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United St ates, is-

1. In a broom-straw evener, a straw-holder having a solid fiat bottom,in combination with a suitable mechanism adapted to jounce said holderto cause the tips or brush ends of i the straws contained therein toassume a uniform evenness.

2. In a broom-straw evener, the combination with a rotatable shaftprovided with one or more cams rigidly secured thereon, of aloosely-seated broom-straw holder having a solid fiat bottom, and meansfor imparting rotation to said shaft to cause said cams to contact withsaid holders, whereby a j ouncing movement is imparted to said holdersto cause a uniform evenness of the tips or brush ends of the broom-corncontained therein.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CLINTON R. LEE.

Witnesses:

C. E. BAUER, IRA G. LEE.

